Jan 10, Colombo: The release of first water of the Moragahakanda Reservoir built under Sri Lanka's largest multi-functional Irrigation Project is scheduled to take place tomorrow under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Deputy Minister Anuradha Jayaratne who joined in an observation visit of the Reservoir said that all arrangements have been finalized for the event.

The Moragahakanda Reservoir built under the Moragahakanda-Kalu Ganga Irrigation Development Project spans 29.5 square kilometers.

The combined project at a cost of US$ 1.2 billion involves the construction of the Moragahakanda Dam and Reservoir, along with the separate Kalu Ganga Dam and Reservoir, for irrigation and power generation purposes. The construction of the dams of the Reservoir has entered the final phase.

The Moragahakanda Reservoir, constructed across Amban River - a tributary of the Mahaweli River, 2 km upstream of the weir at Elahera, will be the last reservoir of the Mahaweli Development Project.

The project, currently undergoing constructions, was inaugurated in January 2007, when President Sirisena was the Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Minister.

When completed the project will provide irrigation facilities to 81,422 hectares in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, provide potable and industrial water supply to Anuradhapura and Trincomalee towns and generate electricity by hydropower while opening up 5000 hectares of new land for agriculture development in Northern, North Central, Eastern and North Western provinces.

Arrangements have also been made to launch construction of the Elahera Project also known as the Rajarata Ela on the same day. The 102-kilometer long Rajarata Ela is expected to provide water to around 1500 small tanks within the Dry Zone. The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank.